Taking the Leap
by L'Ecrivaine
Summary: Betty's impulsive action might just lead to something more with Daniel.
1. Chapter 1  The Kiss

**A/N:**** Ugly Betty is not mine.  
**

**Written for The Bachelor and The Butterfly Challenge. Hopefully it's half-way decent! Please, please comment/review - feedback is always appreciated!**

**TAKING THE LEAP**

**Chapter 1 - The Kiss**

_Stupid Trista and her stupid perfect face and body_, Betty thought darkly as she watched Trista the Model fawn all over Daniel in the middle of Trafalgar Square.

Of course, it had been a complete surprise to her and Daniel when they had run into her on the way back from their daily lunch. He had been walking her back to her office as usual when he had literally bumped into Trista. After apologizing profusely, as Daniel was wont to do, they had struck up a conversation about what they had been up to since they had last seen each other, leaving Betty watching the two of them flirting and hitting it off. She didn't know why she was feeling so annoyed - all she knew was that Daniel was supposed to be walking _her _back to work, and now she had to endure _Trista _being all touchy-feely with him. Trista was flirting desperately as she let her hand linger on his arm, leaning into him as she was telling her amazing story about how she had scored the cover for the top fashion magazine in London. And what made Betty even angrier was the fact that Daniel was eating it all up. He was laughing at everything she said, congratulating her on her cover. And as always, Betty was left out in the cold as Daniel's attention was captured by a beautiful woman who was so totally beneath him.

And just as Trista asked Daniel if they could have dinner sometime, Betty decided she couldn't take it anymore. "So sorry to interrupt, guys," she said with an air of one who could care less about the current conversation and who has to hurry back to work, "but I have so much to do back at the office, so I'll see you guys later." And as a side note, she added, "Don't bother to call later, Daniel, I'm swamped at work. Let me know if you two hit it off again - this way I can be forewarned if I ever have to spend an evening with someone who can't seem to strike up an intelligent conversation."

Knowing she shouldn't have let that last part slip, Betty turned away from them without a backward glance and tried to make herself lost in the crowd. But of course, Daniel was never one to give up easily. "Betty! Betty, hold on!" she heard him calling after her. She tried to walk even faster, but she felt his hand on her arm pulling her back to him and making her face him.

"Betty, what the hell was that about?" he asked, looking so confused as if he didn't know what to make of her attitude. His blue eyes shown with concern as he assessed her behavior, and Betty cursed herself for looking into them. They really were too blue, weren't they?

She steeled herself to respond, and looking everywhere but directly at him, she said, "I'm sorry, Daniel, I just really have to get back to work. I - "

"Betty, I've known you for four and a half years, and you've never been that rude to someone's face," he said, cutting her off and calling her out on her behavior. "That's not like you! What's going on?"

"Nothing's going on!" she denied immediately. "I've just been swamped, that's all. . ."

He looked at her skeptically. "Is it really just work that's bothering you? Honestly, Betty, I thought we were better friends than that." Pausing, he added, "I know you never liked Trista, but that's no excuse to insult her when you see her."

"I know!" she exclaimed. "I just. . . I don't know, she brought out something in me that I can't explain." And for some reason, it bothered her that Daniel was rushing to Trista's defense. Shouldn't he be on his best friend's side instead of siding with his ex-girlfriend?

Daniel sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "It's okay, Betty, you just kind of - shocked me, is all."

"Shocked myself too," she said, staring down at her shoes, embarrassed. "But seriously, Daniel, do you have to go out with her again? I'm not sure she even understood the insult in the first place," Betty said pleadingly. Daniel's mouth twitched, but he gazed at her with a stern look on his face, and she relented. "All right, I shouldn't have said it! I'll apologize."

"Good," he said, a smile slowly spreading on his face. "Who would have thought, Daniel Meade teaching Betty Suarez some manners!"

She punched him in the arm at that comment, and they both laughed at that. Why did he have to be such a good person? She felt overwhelmed as a rush of emotion swept through her. Here she was, being the most thoughtless person in the world as she slammed her best friend's ex-girlfriend, while he was here with her trying to comfort her and make her feel better when he didn't even know why she had gone off like that in the first place! Truth be told, she wasn't sure why she had gotten so angry at meeting Trista, and for the life of her, she couldn't think of any reason other than that she wanted Daniel all to herself here in London. And the way he was looking at her now, his eyes so warm, making her whole body heat up and tingle with something she had never felt so acutely in his presence before or with anyone else. She didn't want to over analyze everything right now. No, for now, she would just thank her lucky stars that Daniel was here with her in London, even if he might be going on a date with that bimbo later.

"Well," she said slightly breathlessly. "I really should probably head off to work. . . Thank you for talking some sense into me."

"Anytime," he answered softly, his bright blue eyes so full of emotion as he stared intently at her. He was standing a little closer than friends normally would, and she leaned in even more as her stomach started doing little back-flips while their staring contest continued. And before she knew what she was doing, she kissed him.

It was everything she could have possibly wanted in a kiss. Passion, need, and something else she wasn't ready to name. He was startled at first, but she felt him relax against her and give himself over to the kiss, gently coaxing her mouth open as he ran his tongue slowly along her lips. She heard herself whimper and pulled him as close as possible, wanting to feel his whole body against hers. She felt his arms tighten around her waist in response, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him enthusiastically, smiling against his lips at the fact that Daniel seemed to want to be as close as possible too. She didn't know how long the kiss lasted, but she knew she never wanted it to stop - the heat and the passion were so intense, making this kiss so different from others she had experienced before. The whole world had faded into gray, and the only thing that mattered was the two of them in this moment, completely wrapped up in each other.

As breathing became a necessity, she pulled back slowly to look at him. He was looking at her as if she was the only thing in the world, his hair mussed from her own fingers where she had gripped it passionately a few moments before. And as she flicked her tongue over her lips, still able to taste him on her, she saw his eyes flick down to her thoroughly kissed lips. The thought brought a blush to her cheeks, and her actions finally caught up with her brain.

The awkwardness was starting to creep in, and Betty cursed herself for letting her passion surpass her brain functions and not letting herself fully comprehend the consequences of her actions before she had done it. Awkwardly, she extricated herself from his embrace, attempting to smooth down her hair as she avoided looking at Daniel. Trying to regain her composure, she said quickly, "I should - um - really get going . . . so much to do. I'll see you around, Daniel!" And with that, she bolted from his sight.

The short walk to her office was torture and seemed like a slightly hazy dream as she kept replaying the kiss in her head. Unfortunately, the more she thought of it, the more she realized how much of a fool she had made of herself, in front of Daniel of all people! He had seen her make a fool of herself before, but now things were supposed to be different - she was a big shot editor in London! She had messed everything up by kissing him on impulse! Betty remembered the one other time she had done that with the New York playwright Zachary Boule and the disastrous consequences later. She shuddered, hoping her relationship with Daniel wouldn't deteriorate over this one instance. He was her best friend - he could forgive her for this, right?

But on the other hand, the kiss had been AMAZING. Daniel was a great kisser, no doubt due to his vast experience with women, which she didn't really want to think about now. And he had made her feel all tingly all over and he was so passionate - she wanted to literally rip his clothes off in the middle of Trafalgar Square. What was going on with her? Since when did she feel this way about Daniel?

As soon as she had barricaded herself in her office, she made a snap decision and pulled out her cell phone, dialing her sister's number. When she picked up, she whispered breathlessly, "Hilda, I'm in big trouble. I just kissed Daniel."

The answering shriek was like the shot heard 'round the world. "WHAT? Betty, how did that happen?"

Betty could feel a blush creeping up on her cheeks again and put a hand to her face in embarrassment. "Hilda, calm down, it's not that big a deal - "

"Not that big a deal? Betty, you just kissed your old boss!"

"She did _what_?" a chorus of three male voices shouted.

Betty cringed. "Oh god, are you at Papi's with Justin and Bobby? What are you guys doing up so early?"

"Betty, focus! Don't you dare change the subject. Now why did you kiss him?"

"I don't know! I don't know what made me do it! He was being so sweet, and his eyes were so blue, and - "

She could have cursed herself for letting slip that last part. She could almost hear Hilda smiling through the phone on the other side of the Atlantic. "So his eyes are really blue, huh? How long has this been going on?"

Betty groaned. "I don't know. . . . Can we please just forget about that part? What am I supposed to do next time I see him?"

"Betty, don't worry, you guys have known each other for a long time. Whatever happens, I'm sure you two will get through it. Just figure out why you kissed him in the first place, and maybe then you'll know what to do next time you see him," Hilda said consolingly.

Betty took a deep breath and sighed. "You're right. I just need to figure this out and hope he doesn't run away. I can't lose Daniel."


	2. Chapter 2  The Dream

**A/N: Sorry this is a day late, everyone! A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who commented on the first chapter, and I hope you guys enjoy this one! :)**

**Chapter 2 - The Dream**

_She was hurrying through the halls of Mode, searching frantically for Daniel. The message he had left on her phone had been cryptic to say the least, his voice seeming slightly agitated and urgent. She knew Daniel called her for help for plenty of things, but she couldn't help but feel from the tone of his voice that this one was really important. With that thought in her mind, she had rushed to the Mode office as soon as possible to find the place swarming with people. Without bothering to excuse herself politely to get through the crowds, she pushed her way through and was shocked when someone grabbed her arm and turned her around._

_"Hey, watch it! Who - " The rest of her words died in her mouth as she took in the appearance of the man standing in front of her. "Gio?" she exclaimed, extremely confused. "What are you doing back at Mode?"_

_He looked really happy to see her and gave her a warm hug. "Betty Suarez! I should ask you the same thing! Didn't you take that job in London?"_

_"Yeah, I did!" she said excitedly. "It's amazing, the best job I could have ever asked for."_

_Gio gave her a genuine smile. "Well, I'm glad you're fulfilling your dream, Suarez. But you still haven't told me why you're at Mode? Don't tell me that even though you left, you're still a Mobot!"_

_"No!" she exclaimed indignantly. "I'm just here to meet Daniel. He needed to see me, for some reason. His message sounded really urgent."_

_Gio's answering smile was a little too understanding. "I see . . . still only one man in your life, huh?"_

_Betty stared at him, confused. "What are you talking about?"_

_Gio shook his head, dismissing the question. "You'll figure it out soon enough. Better go see what your precious Daniel wants!"_

_Betty just stared at him as she watched him disappear amid the bustling workers at Mode. What did he mean, there was still only one man in her life? She remembered when he had said that the first time in London, and she had naturally assumed that he had been talking about Henry. He had, after all, been her first love, and his lingering presence in her heart had come in between her and Gio numerous times. But if Gio wasn't talking about Henry then or now, who exactly was he referring to?_

_Realizing that she should probably hurry to meet Daniel, she turned around to head to his office. She found him sitting with his eyes closed, reclining on his chair behind his desk. "Daniel?" She asked hesitantly, approaching him cautiously._

_He opened his eyes and jumped up as soon as he saw her. "Betty, I'm so glad you came!" He raced to close the curtains to his office to give them some privacy, allowing some shade to creep into the room and casting shadows around it. Daniel turned to face her, but then as if he couldn't stand still, started pacing nervously back and forth in front of her._

_"Daniel . . . what's wrong? Your message sounded so urgent." Betty said as she slowly came up to him._

_He didn't reply immediately, running his hands through his hair in agitation and avoiding her gaze. Sighing heavily, he finally stopped his pacing and turned to look at her. "I have a huge problem, Betty," he said, his blue eyes filled with anxiety. "I need to get this off my chest."_

_"Yeah, of course, Daniel, you know I'm here for you," she said encouragingly, putting her hands on his shoulders to calm him._

_He seemed to visibly relax at her touch and breathed easier. Looking down at her, he took a deep breath and said, "Betty, I'm in love with you."_

_Her breath caught in her throat. "What?" she gasped out. Daniel Meade was in love with her? How was that possible? And yet, the way he was looking at her, she couldn't help but feel warm and loved. . ._

_Daniel smiled, seemingly reassured by her reaction. His confidence increasing, he stared into her eyes as he brought both of his hands up to frame her face. "It's you, Betty. . . . It's always been you."_

_His lips were on hers before she knew it, and she couldn't help but reciprocate. His hands were everywhere on her body, and he was kissing her as no one had kissed her before. His lips moved down to her neck, and she gasped, trying to catch her breath. Lifting his head up from where he was placing hot, wet kisses on her neck, she brought his lips back up to hers and attacked the buttons on his shirt, ripping his shirt open as he was doing the same to her blouse, and they fell on the floor of his office with him on top of her . . ._

RRRRIIINNNGG!

Betty woke up suddenly as she heard the alarm ring. Unfortunately for her, she thrust her hand out to reach over to her bedside table to turn off the alarm so quickly that she fell out of her bed in her hurry. She fell ungracefully to the floor, her sheets tangled around her body.

Feeling too exhausted and overwhelmed to get up right away, she lay on the ground, her heart pounding. She couldn't believe the dream she had just had. She was blushing just thinking about it - the way Daniel's lips had felt on hers, the two of them collapsing onto his office floor . . . all because she had stupidly kissed him the day before, and because she now knew what his lips felt like moving on hers passionately, his arms holding her tightly against him. . .

Ugh, she was so totally screwed.

When had she begun to feel this way about Daniel? She would be lying if she said she hadn't noticed how attractive he was, but she had always pushed that thought to the back of her mind because of his playboy ways. He had changed since they had first met, that much was evident. He had been through so much – being humiliated on television by Sofia Reyes, losing his father, losing Molly . . . Betty felt as if the bottom of her stomach had dropped out at the thought of his relationship with Molly. Was Daniel ready for another relationship after that? She had seen how devastated he had been, and it had taken him a while to recover.

Then again, she thought with a slight smile, he had seemed really enthusiastic when he had kissed her back. Maybe she wasn't totally justified in questioning what type of relationship he was ready for. Only he could tell her that, but truth be told, she was afraid to ask him. And after that amazing kiss and her dream, she didn't know if she would be able to look him in the face without blushing.

Honestly, she didn't know if she was ready to jump into a relationship with Daniel either. There was obviously a unique attraction there, but was it all just physical? She quickly scratched that thought – they had known each other for so long now, seen the other at their worst moments – there was definitely something else there. But was she willing to take that risk to find out what exactly that was? Betty honestly did not know.

Sighing and forcing herself to get up off the floor, she resolved that she would just take a cold shower and forget all about Daniel and his soft lips.

* * *

Luckily for Betty, her day at work was filled with problems and complications that had arisen for the magazine. She spent the entire day working to resolve these issues, canceling her daily lunch with Daniel as well. She knew she shouldn't feel so relieved to have an excuse to avoid him, but she couldn't help it. She wasn't ready to face him yet. Why had she so stupidly kissed him? She had just ended up complicating a perfectly uncomplicated relationship.

Hitting herself on the forehead lightly with her paperwork, Betty tried to forget about Daniel and focus on her work. "Emma!" she called out to her assistant, "can you give me the notes Lindsay gave me on the articles we were working on?"

Still bent over her paperwork, Betty heard footsteps entering her office and heard papers being set on her desk. "Thanks, Emma," she said, looking up from her desk, "you can - ah!" She jumped up suddenly, sending her papers flying up around her. Daniel Meade was standing in front of her desk with a slightly amused look on his face and a white bag in which she assumed there was food. As she was hurriedly trying to gather her scattered papers, she lost her balance on her heels and fell on her back.

"Betty!" He exclaimed in concern. "Betty, are you okay?" He was kneeling beside her in a blazer and jeans, looking devilishly handsome.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," she said in a rush, trying to get his hands off her as he was trying to help her get up. She stumbled a little getting up, and he grabbed her around the waist before she could fall again. They stayed like that for a while, his arms still around her waist and her hands holding on to his arms.

"Thanks," she whispered.

He cleared his throat. "No problem."

She extricated herself from his arms for the second time in two days and went back to the other side of her desk. "So, Daniel. To what do I owe this pleasure?" She winced, realizing how formal and awkward that phrase sounded.

Giving her an odd look but choosing to let that comment slide, he settled himself in one of the chairs in front of her desk. "I figured I would bring lunch to you since you were so busy." He raised the white bag he had in his hand. "I got you chili cheese fries!"

Her heart soared as she stared at him sitting adorably across from her. He was seriously the sweetest friend ever. "Aww, Daniel, thank you so much!" she said with a smile, reaching out to grab the bag of fries. "You are amazing."

"No surprise there," he said with a teasing grin, although he was looking quite pleased with himself.

They shared a laugh at that and settled into silence, both of them periodically eating some fries. As they sat across from each other, the desk separating them, the tension started seeping in. Betty cleared her throat nervously, picking at the chili fries. Speaking in a rush as to get this over with, she started, "Daniel, I'm sorry for what happened yesterday. I just hope – "

He held up his hand, halting her hurried speech. "Betty, I'd like you to have dinner with me tonight."

She stared at him, the fry dropping back into the carton. "What?" Was he asking her out on a date?

He looked a little nervous, pulling at the collar on his shirt. "Well, my mom kind of surprised me last night, and she, uh, wants to see you. I figured we could all have dinner tonight."

Betty looked down at her desk, her heart sinking into her chest. For a second there, she had thought that Daniel had been asking her out on a date. And after noticing her initial reaction to his question, she couldn't help but conclude that she did want to go to dinner with him – as a date. After what had happened between them yesterday and after her dream this morning, she had to accept that Daniel meant more to her than she ever thought possible. But even if she spent the evening with his mom, at least she would be with Daniel too. And besides, she loved Claire – she had been so good to her over the years.

Looking up at Daniel, she placed a genuine smile on her face and answered, "Of course! I've missed your mom - it'll be great to see her."

Daniel's face broke out into a grin. "Great! I'll pick you up at 7?"

"Yeah, that's perfect!" She said, getting up as he stood up as well. She walked around to his side and on impulse, wrapped her arms around him. "Thanks for lunch, Daniel," she said softly in his ear.

His arms tightened around her for a second before pulling away. "It was my pleasure, Betty." He hesitated for a second, and then leaned down so his lips were inches away from hers. Betty realized what he was about to do but didn't pull away, letting him bridge the final gap between their lips. As soon as his lips touched hers, it was as if an electric shock passed through her, and her body reacted instinctively. She pressed herself closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist as she kissed him back, letting him tease her as he kissed her slowly and languidly.

After a few seconds of bliss, Daniel pulled away far enough to look at her properly. "I'll see you tonight." As she watched him walk to the door, Betty felt light-headed as if her legs had turned to jelly, and she gripped the desk behind her for support. When Daniel reached the door, he paused with his grip on the handle and turned around to look at her directly in the eyes. "I'm not sorry for what happened yesterday," he said sincerely.

And with that, he left her office, leaving Betty to accept the fact that she could possibly be falling for her best friend.


	3. Chapter 3 The Dinner

**A/N: Thank you so much for all of the wonderful reviews and comments on this story! I really, really appreciate every single one of them. It makes writing so much easier knowing that people actually seem to be enjoying this! :)**

**Here is the final chapter of Taking the Leap. I hope everyone enjoys it! :)  
**

**Chapter 3 - The Dinner**

At 7 o'clock on the dot the doorbell rang. Betty ran towards the door, being careful not to fall in her heels. When she opened it, Daniel was on the other side, looking extremely handsome in a black suit and tie with a white shirt and holding a bouquet of pink Gerber daisies. Holding the flowers out to her, he looked amazed as his wide eyes swept her entire frame, making her shiver with delight. "Wow, Betty, you look . . . wow," he managed to stutter.

Betty smiled and took the flower, nervously patting down the thick black strip of fabric around her waist on her black dress. "Thank you. That was kind of what I was going for." His answering laugh was enough to make some of the nerves go away. She hesitated and added, "You look really great tonight too."

He unconsciously smoothed the front of his tie at her words and gave her a small smile. "Thank you," he said softly.

They stared at each other, unsure of how to greet the other while fully aware that this was dangerously close to being something like a date. Clearing her throat to dispel the sudden sexual tension in the room, Betty said, "Come inside, Daniel. I just need to grab my coat."

She led him into the kitchen so she could put the flower in a vase. "Where is your mom?" she asked over her shoulder.

"She said she would meet us at the restaurant, so I figured I would pick you up first so we could go together," Daniel said. He hesitated for a second, and then added, "I also thought that it would give us some time to talk."

Betty froze as she was about to place the flower in the vase. She wasn't sure where this was going, but she had to get the first word in, just in case. Better to cut her losses, right? Steeling herself for what his answer could be, she said, "Look, Daniel, you don't have to say anything about what happened the other day or today. I don't want to ruin our friendship."

"But what if this could turn into something more?" he countered, staring at her intently. She returned his gaze, unsure of what to say as he approached her and took her hand in his. "Betty, I want to give this a chance."

Her heart was doing funny things as his words sunk in. Daniel, her Daniel, actually felt the same way? She had had a vague awareness that he might have some feelings for her when they had kissed, but to hear them voiced out loud was a different experience entirely and left her momentarily speechless. She cleared her throat, wanting to make sure she had understood him correctly. "So, just to be clear . . ."

He laughed and tugged her closer to him so that their bodies were touching. He put his hands on her waist and let his lips graze her forehead. "I'm crazy about you, Betty," he whispered.

She sighed in relief and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I feel the same way, Daniel," she said softly into his shirt. His arms tightened around her, and she couldn't help but appreciate the moment.

"I guess we should get going. We wouldn't want to keep Mom waiting, right?" Daniel said after some time rather reluctantly.

Betty pulled back, still holding onto his arm. "Lead the way," she said, smiling up at him.

* * *

Dinner at one of London's top restaurants close to the Thames turned out to be quite an affair with the Meades. As soon as Claire had seen Betty, she had enveloped her into a bone-crushing hug. When they seated themselves at their table in the dimly lit restaurant, Betty had a realization that this was the first time the three of them had done this, just as friends. It was a wonderful feeling to know that her relationship with Claire and Daniel had come so far. The whole dinner was quite enjoyable with the three of them discussing new updates on Meade Publications, Mode, and Betty's new job.

"So, Betty," Mrs. Meade turned toward her, looking at her with affection and happiness, "How are you liking London?"

"Oh, it's great!" she said enthusiastically, almost spilling her water in her excitement. "The people here are so nice, the city is wonderful, and I love my job. I actually feel like I'm making a difference here, and I'm writing about subjects I care about."

"That's great, Betty," Mrs. Meade said, beaming at her. "What about your social life? Have you met anyone special?" Beside her, Daniel choked on his water at the question. Patting him on the back, she added, "Careful, son."

Betty could feel her blush creeping onto her neck and face. "Um, not really. I mean, I just don't have time right now, especially with work."

"Oh, that's a pity," Mrs. Meade said with a sideways look at Daniel. "I can think of many wonderful men who would be absolutely perfect for you, isn't that right, Daniel?"

He opened his mouth in protest, but before he could get a word out, Betty interrupted him. "That's okay, Mrs. Meade. I'm happy doing what I do now. That's all that matters, right?" And with that, she steered the conversation to other, much safer topics.

Halfway through dinner, Mrs. Meade asked Betty to accompany her to the ladies' room. Once they were there, Claire turned to her immediately and hugged her again. "Oh, I'm so happy for the two of you," she said with a huge smile on her face, "I always knew Daniel would man up and tell you how he feels."

Betty pulled away from her, shocked. "Mrs. Meade, I - I don't know what - "

"Oh, don't worry about it, Betty, I know my son well enough to know when he's in love and in a relationship," she said, waving her off nonchalantly. "And I must say, this makes me tremendously happy. I was right at your going away party, wasn't I?"

Betty blushed and turned to check her reflection in the mirror so she could avoid looking directly into Mrs. Meade's eyes. "Well, we're not exactly in a relationship yet. I mean, we just – we haven't discussed anything."

Mrs. Meade smiled understandingly. "I see," she said. "Do you want there to be a relationship?"

Betty turned around to face her, her eyes towards on the floor. "Yeah, I do," she said quietly, a small smile breaking out on her face. "This is all just so new to us. It's going to take time. But when we're together, he's - wonderful."

Mrs. Meade smiled and came up to stand beside Betty and put her arm around her. "I'm happy to hear you say that, dear. Daniel's been through a lot and I don't want him to get hurt again."

"Mrs. Meade, I would never deliberately do that!" Betty looked up at her, startled. "He means too much to me."

She smiled and nodded. "I know, Betty. And don't worry. New relationships do take time, but I know you two can make it work. You work so well together."

Betty smiled shyly at her, bolstered by the compliment. "Thank you for the vote of confidence."

Mrs. Meade hugged her again and said, "That's what I'm here for."

* * *

"Mom, are you sure you don't want me to take you home?" Daniel asked for the millionth time as his mom opened the door of the town car.

"Daniel, sweetheart, I'm sure you have more important things to do than to see me back to my hotel room," Mrs. Meade said, her eyes shining with happiness as she looked between Daniel and Betty. "Make sure Betty gets home safe, okay?"

Daniel leaned forward and kissed his mom on the cheek. "I'll see you in the morning, Mom. Good night."

"Good night, son," she said affectionately, and she got into the town car.

They stood watching as the car drove away. Betty plucked up the courage and took his hand in hers. She felt his hand wrap around hers warmly, and she leaned into his side as she asked, "What are you thinking about?"

He looked straight ahead at the spot where his mom's car had disappeared. "I've missed her. She's been through a lot, and with all of her children in different places . . . I worry about her."

Betty turned him around to face her. "Daniel, I do know how you feel," she said, putting a hand on his cheek to bring his eyes up to hers. "I worry about Papi being alone in that house too. But she's a parent - she's happy when her children are happy."

He still looked a bit troubled, but he smiled halfheartedly at her. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Wanting to get his mind off of his family, Betty said enthusiastically, "Come on, we have the rest of the night ahead of us! How about karaoke again? We were pretty awesome the first time."

He laughed and pulled her close to him. "I don't know if I'm ready for that again." Leaning in, he kissed her softly on the forehead, lingering there for longer than usual. "How about we just take a walk, head down towards the river?"

She pulled away and nodded, smiling at him as she held his hand tightly and led him down the street.

They walked along in silence for some time, just content in being with the other. As they reached the river, they crossed the bridge in front of Big Ben and looked out over the city. Betty stopped to lean against the rail on the bridge, taking in the magnificence of London. The city looked so beautiful at night, with all of the lights reflected in the water. She sighed happily and leaned closer to Daniel, who put his arm around her.

"Do you remember that same night we went to karaoke, we stopped to talk on the bridge?" he asked quietly, looking out over the city.

"We never really met on the bridge again after that," she said, lamenting that fact.

He chuckled, and then said, "Well, we do have tonight."

She looked up at him then, taking in his caring face and bright blue eyes that held such warmth in them. Her gaze drifted down to his lips, and she had the urge to kiss him in a moment of passion just like before. However, she knew they had a lot to talk about before taking such a big step forward in their relationship. Sighing, she forced herself not to act on impulse and turned to face him fully. "Daniel, are you sure this is what you want?"

He looked at her in surprise and countered, "Are you sure this is what _you_ want?"

She paused at that, and she saw his face fall at her hesitation. "No, Daniel, it's not that I don't want this. I do, I really, really do."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I - " she hesitated, wondering how to put her thoughts in words, hoping to delay the numerous doubts that had afflicted her mind ever since she had kissed him. "I just want to make sure, I - are you sure you're ready for this? I mean, after Molly . . . "

A look of comprehension dawned on Daniel's face as he took in Betty's words and her nervous demeanor. He pulled her into a hug, and she felt comforted by the feeling of his arms around her and the warmth he provided. They were silent for a time before Daniel pulled back slightly to look into her eyes and answer her question, "Betty, I have to be up front with you. Molly was an important part of my life for a time, and I will always care about her." She nodded, knowing and fearing this much – she knew she had no right to expect anything less from him. She waited patiently for him to continue, letting him know that she supported him and wasn't going to run away. "I will always remember her, but I need to put her behind me in order to live. I need to move on somehow. And Betty, you have always been the one constant in my life in recent years - you're my best friend, and these past few months with you have only made my feelings grow stronger." And steeling himself as though he was about to say something unpleasant, he added, "I know I don't have the best track record with relationships, and I know I'm not a genius accountant or a painter, but - "

She brought her fingers up to his lips to stop his rant, smiling a little at his last words. "I don't care," she said. Bringing her hand up to his face to softly cup his cheek, she said, "I don't want to lose you, Daniel. What if this doesn't work out?"

He covered her hand with his and said, "Even if it doesn't, we will always be friends. That won't ever change." Turning his head slightly, she felt his warm lips place a kiss on her palm. "We just have to take the leap to see if this could turn into something even more amazing."

Finally giving in to her impulse, she leaned in and kissed him. The kiss was different from their first, soft and gentle, a sign of things to come. Pulling away, she whispered, "I'm ready if you are."

His brilliant smile was answer enough, and he leaned in to kiss her again, the lights from the city shining down on them, enveloping them in a golden light, lost in their own world.


End file.
